The Old Grey Pony Is Finished, and BOY!!! Do I Need Practice with Pouring Paint!!!

Old Grey Pony
11 x 13 in./  28.5 x 34 cm.
Available at Daily Paintworks

I wanted to demonstrate poured watercolor to the class last Saturday. So I quickly found an image [of one of my favorite subjects] with strong values, got the drawing on watercolor paper, masked it, and took it to class. I think I started with the paint too concentrated, but went ahead anyway. I used hansa yellow [just because I had a lot, and never use it for anything else], alizarin crimson and indanthrone blue.

I made a mistake or two along the way, but it is a very enjoyable painting technique, and I will come back to it. I guess a better-prepared value study would be a good idea next time!!??? ... or ANY value study!! Must get into the habit of doing those!

Meanwhile, here in Lotusland [aka Vancouver] the rains have started. It is coming down so hard, you can hardly see across the street! Must be making up for the dry summer we had. So Bruno is out in his paddock wearing snorkeling gear and flippers, and I am inside with the rest of the menagerie, trying to decide what to paint next.

Thank you so much for dropping by!

Another Process - Step by Step Botanical Study

I started with a thin wash of aureolin, let it dry then did a w/w drop-the-color-in type of wash with quin. burnt orange.
There is a tiny bit of masking on the upper right of the leaf.

I then went into the cast shadows, which were almost as colorful as the leaf itself. Again, I used aureolin and quin. burnt orange, with a soft black mixed with the orange, quin. violet and indanthrone.

I mixed a bright green with phthalo green and quin. gold, and did a dry brush application with that. I then glazed over the entire leaf with aureolin, and the shadow area with aureolin and quin. burnt orange. I find doing a gentle glaze, with a delicate touch after the original colors are dry, softens the painting, and gives it a more realistic look.  

Here it is with all the detail added.
The painting is 6 1/4 x 10 1/4 in. [16 x 26 cm.]
It will be available at Daily Paintworks.

Thank you so much for dropping by!